Most modern engines commonly utilize a chain drive to drive the camshaft or camshafts off of the crankshaft of the engine. It is common to have one or more guides to guide the chain and a rigid tensioner arm urged against the chain by a hydraulic tensioner using the engine oil pressure as the hydraulic driving force to tension the chain.
While the use of hydraulic tensioners has been satisfactory, they are expensive. A need therefore exists to find other techniques for satisfactorily tensioning chains, but at less cost.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for applying a continuous tension to a chain. The apparatus includes at least one blade tensioner and a rigid tensioner arm engaging a portion of the chain and acted upon by the blade tensioner to tension the chain. The blade tensioner can be mounted on the rigid tension arm or on surrounding structure. The rigid tension arm can be pivotally mounted to the supporting structure or a pair of blade tensioners can be used to support the rigid tensioner arm.